CAMERON, Mo. -- The two high school track and field program at Maryville have been in different places for the last few years with the Spoofhound boys coming into this season with five-straight conference titles and the girls having not won a Midland Empire team title in a decade.
Both programs have taken a step forward this season and that resulted in both winning MEC championships on Tuesday in Cameron.
For the Spoofhound boys, it was a dominating performance for a team that has made its name state-wide in recent years for its distance running, but coach Rodney Bade's group is a more balanced roster this season.
That balance was on display Tuesday - winning 13 of 19 events and finishing in the top-3 in every event. Maryville finished with 265 points while Chillicothe was second with 171 and St. Pius X Kansas City was third with 74.
"This is one of those meets where time doesn't matter," Maryville junior Connor Blackford said. "It is just about placing good and racking up the team points. To carry on that tradition of however many years it's been just feels great. It feels like it's a 'thank you' to the guys who did it before us."
For the girls, the team race was tied with Chillicothe going into the 200-meter dash where freshman Isabella Kinderknecht and Jillian Bagley finished third and fourth and giving the Spoofhounds an 11-point lead.
Sophomore Katherine Pohren sealed the team title by winning the 3,200-meter run.
"Run fast, it is only like 20 minutes, you got this," Pohren said of her mindset. "Our team needs these points and for me to go out and leave everything out here was my main goal. Get those points and win conference."
The Spoofhounds finished with 154 points while Chillicothe had 132.
"We asked a lot out of our girls today," Bade said. "We asked some to kinda give up some personal glory for team glory. We weren't quite sure if it was resonating yet. But when we got off the bus, Ainsley (Watkins), one of our juniors, she goes, 'the girls are hyped, the girls are ready.'"
In addition to Pohren's individual title, the Spoofhounds had titles from Watkins in the pole vault, Ava Dumke in the javelin and Brylee Acklin in the 300-meter hurdles. Acklin has been a breakout star for the Spoofhounds this season as a freshman and also took second in the 300-meter hurdles and the long jump.
"It is really exciting," Acklin said. "Nobody can do anything alone and everyone pitched in and did their best. I think that was a good team win."
Senior Keaton Stone, a Central Missouri signee, led the scoring efforts for the boys by winning both the triple jump and long jump while taking third in the pole vault.
Another future Central Missouri Mule, Jesus Flores won both the 400-meter dash and high jump. Flores also led off the champion 4x400-meter team as the team won three of the relays with 4x100- and 4x200-meter titles as well.
Blackford led the efforts for the distance runners by finishing first in both the 1,600-meter run and 3,200-meter run. Sophomore Dylan Masters won the 800-meter run while sophomore Bradley Deering was second in both the 1,600- and 800-meter runs.
"After having the injury last year and not having it go as good as I hoped, it is awesome this year and I feel as good as I've ever felt in high school," Blackford said. "I'm super excited for these next few races and to just survive and advance."
In the throwing events, Kort Watkins won the shot put and Carson Sterling won the discus.
The Spoofhounds, Chillicothe and St. Pius X - the top-3 teams in both the boys and girls team race - will all be in Chillicothe for the Class 3 District 8 meet next weekend.